Savasana

(SHA-VHAS-ANA) Sava = Corpse

Savasana, or Corpse pose, is considered the easiest pose to perform, yet the most difficult to master. Whilst this pose requires less physical strength and flexibility the other yoga poses, it challenges the body and mind in many different ways. In Savasana, you lie on your back (like a Corpse, as the name suggests) and relax and your body and mind so that you can reap the benefits of the physical asana practice.

Although I often begin my classes with a brief settling Savasana, it is mainly used at the end of a session. Trying to ask the body to relax, even when lying down, without preparing the body by releasing tightness and tension, can feel almost impossible so it is important to practice the other, more active asanas beforehand as they stretch, open and release tension in the muscles. They also help relax the diaphragm so that the breath can move freely.

When the words “prepare for Savasana” are announced at the end of the class, there will be those that are in the “easiest pose” camp that sigh with relief and settle themselves down on their mat ready to relax. And then there will be those that happily twist, balance and bend their way through the rest of the class and then (inwardly for the most part!) groan and struggle when it comes to lying on the floor. I have known students to leave the class early in order to skip Savasana, and even had a lady pop up into a headstand whilst everyone else was in relaxation! That particular incident was during one of the very first classes I taught so I didn't then have the confidence to suggest that she might like to come down and give the body time to settle before the end of the class. The art of relaxation is certainly harder than it looks! When you first start practicing Savasana, it can be a real struggle to relax into the pose; you may lie there feeling tense, staring up and the ceiling and wondering when you can move. Or, you may fall asleep as soon as you lie down! The essence of Savasana is to remain conscious and alert, whilst being relaxed and at ease.

Although it might seem as though you aren't doing an awful lot whilst in Savasana, in actual fact there are a whole host of benefits that come from practicing this pose. According to Yoga Journal, Savasana can help to relieve mild depression, high blood pressure, headaches, fatigue and insomnia. It can calm the nervous system and promote equanimity in your entire body. Fatigued muscles get to relax, tense shoulders and jaws soften and the mind finds itself in a calmer, quieter state.

Before settling into Savasana, I will often invite my students to take “three final tensions” – a deep breath in through the nose whilst squeezing, tensing and tightening the muscles, and a loud exhale out of the mouth as they let go and release, repeated three times, signalling to your body to release into the pose. These cleansing breaths also sends a message to your parasympathetic nervous system that it is safe to relax and be just as you are.

Guided relaxation or meditations, hands-on adjustments, lavender eye pillows, soft music or just silence all have their place in the guidance towards relaxation but it is really only a regular practice of Savasana that will train you in the art of relaxation; an essential quality for meditation and a true experience of yoga.

Everyone is deserving of Savasana. Learning how to be still in a busy world is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.

I am so excited to start my Yoga Nidra training and can't wait to share the joys and immense benefits of the practice. So if you already love your Savasana, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for my Yoga Nidra classes later in the year!

For more information on the classes available at Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga, visit www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk